Improvement in refrigerators



L FINK. REFRIGERATOR.

J 'Patented Feb. 1, 187e. 0 E:

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UNITED 'STATES "PAT-ENT 'Ormea JOHN FINK, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNR 'IO HIMSELF, NATHANi i 'M. EISENHOWER, AND AMOS HUYETT,OF SAME PLACE. v

iMPRovEMEN'r IN nEFmGER-ATQRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,986, `dated yFebruary 1, 1876; application filed- November 30, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vJOHN FINK, of Reading, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improveinents in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates especially to improvements in that class of refrigerators which are used by butchers and others for preserving fresh meat and provisions; yand the objects of my invention are to so construct a refrigerator of thisy class as to insure the maintenance of a low temperature within ,the same, and to provide for the ready escape of foul or heated air. These objects I attain in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of my iinproved refrigerator; Fig. 2, -a transverse section of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 detached perspective views illustrating features of my invention. i

A and A are the front and back, and B and Bthe opposite sides, of the refrigeratonthe l interior of which is provided with the usual ice-box C, and drip-pan D, and with slats provided with hooks on which the meat or other provisions are hung. The ice-box C is of peculiar construction, as shown more fully in Fig. 3, being provided with two upper and two lower longitudinal slotted bars, a a and b b, the former of which receive the upper ends of the side slats c of the box, while the latter receive the lower ends of the said slats, and are also slotted on the inside, for the reception of the opposite' ends of the bottom slats d. The upper bars a a are also slotted at one side at a point, a', immediately above the end slat d bars a and bottom bars lb, may also be so sebe removed.

, bars b ofthe ice-box by means of hooks c and and removed, the drip-catcher, consisting of `the ordinary wooden-lined V-shaped tray,

drip-water to one end. The tray, however, instead of having at the end two pipes converging from 'theopposite corners of the same to a central discharge-pipe, has at one end anj inclined surface, D1, for conducting the dripwater to a central opening'and discharge-pipe, D2, which Ais connected to a conducting-tube, D3, provided on the outside of the refrigerator with a goose-neck, which prevents the access of air through the same into the interior.

The use of the inclined end on the ytray D and the single discharge-pipe, lessens thearea of pipe exposed to the air in the refrigeratoran important point, as this exposed pipe causes the condensation of the moisture within the refrigerator, and renders the same damp'.

Both the front and side-of the refrigerator are, in the present instance, provided with shown in Figs.1 and 2. The upper portion G :of the vdoor is hinged to the frame of the reportion, Gmerely fits into the opening, vand is retained in place therein by suitable hooks or catches at the edges, so that, upon opening the door G, the lower portion remains in place, butcan readily be removed by turning the catches. rangement is toprevent the escape of cold air from the bottom of the provision-chamber 'while provisions are being passed into or removed from the same through the door G, but

when the interior of the said chamber is being cleansed, or for other purposes. Within each of th main doors ofthe refrigerator is-arranged, in the present instance, a sliding glazed door, H, which, when moved back,

through said door, but, when drawn forward,

cured to the refrigerator that they, too, may.

The drip-pan D is secured-to 4the bottom.

staples e', so that it can be. readily unhooked;

having ledges at its sides for directing the f entrance-doors, which are constructed as l 'frigerator in the usual manner, but the lower The object of this ar to allow the entire opening to be uncovered.

does not interfere with free egress or ingress A .acts as a valve, lifting to permit the escape of heated air from theV top of the provision-cham- -ber, and closing immediately after such escape, to prevent the escapeof outside air.

Foul air, which, owing toits heavines's accumulates at the bottom of the chamber, enters, through a grated opening, m, a flue, I, formed in the back wall A', and, becoming heated therein, ascends, and, raising the valven at the top of said flue, escapes. The flue I, as will be seen in Fig. l, decreases in width from the bottom toward the top, in order that the air, in passing upward, may accumulate force enough to lift the valve n.

It will be evident that, by the above-described construction, the escape of foul and heated air are provided for, and the escape of the cold air prevented, a low temperature within the provision-cham ber being thus main; tained with a small expenditure of ice.

I-claim as my inventionl 1. An ice-box for refrigerators, in which side slats c and bottom slats d are combined with each other and with slotted top and bottom bars a a and b b, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

g 2. The drip-pan D, consisting of a V-shaped tray having at one end an inclined surface, D1, and central opening and discharge-pipe D2, as set forth.

3'. Adoor for refrigerators,consisting of an upper hinged portion, G, and a lower portion, Gf, ittedto the opening and secured by suitable" catches at the edges, so as to be readily removable, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The perforated tube t', located in the top of the refrigerator, immediately over the iceboX, and provided with a loose sliding cap, j, so arranged as to be operated by the pressure 'of the air within the refrigerator, as set fort-h.

5. rEhe combination of the provisioncham- A ber of a refrigerator with the tapering Bue I, its opening 'm at the bottom, and automatic valve n at the top, as set forth.`

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN FINK.

Witnesses HARRY HowsoN, Jr., HARRY SMITH. 

